From the CEO's desk: Korea activities and logistics

Hello again from Bangkok. The Secretariat has been extremely busy of late finalising the Annual Report and with getting papers and logistics ready for the Korea Council and conference. In addition, WHO will be holding a meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, in late October (just after the WONCA conference), to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Alma Ata conference and Declaration. WONCA has been incredibly busy providing inputs into numerous WHO technical papers, often with a very short turn-round time.

Korea Timetable

We’re publishing the timetable for Korea to try to ensure that everyone has a clear idea of the schedule for the various meetings around the time of the World Council. Just prior to Council our Regional Councils meet, whist between Council and conference most of our Working Parties and Special Interest Groups meet, and we have already been in contact with all of these groups regarding logistics arrangements.

Photo: Say hello to the WONCA secretariat Seoul: Chalita Taothong (admin), Garth Manning (CEO), Nongluck Suwisith (manager)

Regional and World Council meetings

Those attending regional Council meetings will need to be at the Sheraton Hotel in Incheon by the evening of Friday 12th October, ready to start on Saturday 13th.

All other Council delegates need to be at Sheraton Hotel by evening of Saturday 13th October – when there will be an informal welcome reception – ready to begin the work of Council on Sunday morning, October 14th.

Website for the Sheraton hotel in Incheon

KAL limousine bus Information - from airport to Sheraton Incheon.
There are three main options from transferring from Incheon Airport to the Sheraton Hotel Incheon:
- Taxi (around 30 minutes and 40,000 KRW – about $36)
- Hotel limo (around 30 minutes and 85,000 KRW – about $77)
- KAL Limousine bus (around 30 minutes and 7,000 KRW – about $6). Bus departs from Terminal 1 arrivals area outside Gate 4A and 10B. Bus runs every 30-40 minutes – see schedule here. Details for Terminal 2 are 20 minutes later than times in the attachment.

The Council meeting will run through to lunchtime on Tuesday 16th October. The new WONCA Executive will then hold its first meeting, but all other delegates will be free to transfer to downtown Gangnam in Seoul, venue of the WONCA conference (CoEx centre). Some buses will be available, on a first come-first serve basis, to transfer delegates to the CoEx centre in Seoul. Bus departure times will be confirmed nearer the date.

All meetings
World Conference

The Conference will have an information desk at both terminal 1 and terminal 2 of Incheon Airport, on October 16,17,18, to assist your transport arrangements. More information and bus timetables here.

The opening ceremony of the conference will be at 9.30am on Thursday 18th October, whilst the welcome reception will be at 6.30pm that evening.

Conference website Outline programme

WONCA Awards ceremony

A particular date for your diary is Saturday 20th October at 9.30am, when the WONCA Awards ceremony will be held, followed by the Presidential handover from Amanda Howe to Donald Li.

Timetable in full:

Wednesday 10th October 2018

WONCA Executive gather in Incheon

Thursday 11th and Friday 12th October

WONCA Executive meeting in Incheon

Saturday 13th October

Morning - WONCA Regional Executive meetings at Sheraton Hotel, Incheon (Asia Pacific and CIMF)

Afternoon - WONCA Regional Council meetings at Sheraton Hotel, Incheon (all except Europe). Details of Region meetings

5.30pm – briefing for all new delegates to World Council

6.30pm - Evening welcome reception for Council delegates

Sunday 14th to lunchtime Tuesday 16th October

WONCA World Council at Sheraton Hotel Incheon

Afternoon of Tuesday 16th October

New WONCA Executive meets at Sheraton Hotel Incheon

Wednesday 17th October

7.30am – breakfast meeting for new Executive and for all Chairs of WPs and SIGs – Jupiter Room, Intercontinental Seoul CoEx hotel.

9.00am onwards - WONCA WPs and SIGs meet at CoEx centre (the conference centre)

Timetable for all WP, SIG and young doctor meetings can also be found here

Thursday 18th October

Conference opening ceremony at 9.30am,
Welcome reception at 6.30pm

Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st

WONCA World Conference at CoEx.

Saturday 20th October

9.30am – WONCA Awards Ceremony (WONCA Fellows, Hon Life Direct Members; Five Star Doctor Award) and Presidential handover ceremony

Full details of the conference, and also the hotels, social activities and tours being arranged, can be found on the conference website.

Many of the workshops being run by various working parties and special interest groups can be found here.

See you in Korea

Garth Manning
CEO